140 likes | 253 Views
LSU GEAR UP at the forefront. Using Hip-Hop to Increase GEAR UP Students’ Knowledge of College Access, Acceptance, Enrollment and Excellence. By: Letrez A. Myer, M.A., Tamatha Brown, & James C. Milligan. Agenda. GEAR UP Goal Alignment Demographic of Students Constructing the Lessons
E N D
LSU GEAR UP at the forefront Using Hip-Hop to Increase GEAR UP Students’ Knowledge of College Access, Acceptance, Enrollment and Excellence By: Letrez A. Myer, M.A., Tamatha Brown, & James C. Milligan
Agenda • GEAR UP Goal Alignment • Demographic of Students • Constructing the Lessons • Making it Fun • Presentation & Partnership • Surveys &Incentives • Benefits • Showcasing Talents • See it in Action – Lesson Plan & Video • Questions & Answers
GEAR UP goal alignment • Increase GEAR UP students’ and their families’ knowledge of postsecondary education options, preparation and financing • LSU GEAR UP Specific Objectives • Increase knowledge of GU students and families about: • Cost of Louisiana postsecondary institutions • Requirements to enter Louisiana postsecondary institutions • Financial aid available for Louisiana postsecondary institutions
Student demographics • 8th and 9th grade students • Age range: 14 – 16 years old • Large population of student body in GEAR UP cohort • Urban area schools • Baker High • Belaire High • Robert E. Lee High • Scotlandville High • Students expressed interest in presentation style
Constructing the lessons • Assess goals • What is the desired end result? • What information is needed to meet the goal? • Gathering Materials • Websites • Brochures • Guidance Counselors • Colleges/Universities/Community Colleges • Fact Finding • Cannot include everything • MUST include information that meets your goal • Preparing the Presentation • Powerpoint presentation with necessary information • One page handouts • Condense for students
Making it fun • Students not interested in PowerPoint • Created themes • Used partnership with YWCA • Parent liaison also a mentor and motivational speaker • Able to put into an interesting format • i.e., basketball • Sweet 16 • Three-pointer • Fast Break • Created one pagers • Condensed information for students • Set information to music • Students expressed interest in raps after pilot presentation • Wrote lyrics and composed beats
Presentation & partnership • Needed to reach 40% of students • Chose schools that had high concentration of GEAR UP cohort • Baker, Belaire, Lee and Scotlandville • Population: Approximately 850 of the 1400 student cohort • Needed to use the school day • Meetingwith principals and 9th grade Academy Coordinators • Four days (Mon-Thurs) to accomplish three lessons • Agreed not to interrupt major courses • English, Math, Science and Social Studies • Some principals utilized English classes • All students required to take Education for Careers Course • Utilized this course; aligned with course goals • Approximately 45-50 minutes
Surveys & incentives • Surveys • Assess the students’ knowledge • Goal: 40% of the students and families will KNOW information • Develop questions that assess memory • Meet APR Goals • All grants require students & families tohave college-access information • Surveys reflect this • Incentives • Encourage student participation • Encourage students to return parent surveys
benefits • Building student relationships • College-aged presenter • Music style easily relatable • Break from traditional classroom style • Advertising • Tutoring • MySpace & Bebo sites • Summer College Tours • GEAR UP Camps • New Students • Students not in program want to join
Showcasing talents • Students get opportunities to perform: • Summer program graduation • For parents at awards banquets • Talent show performances • Created a rap video • Looking into getting students on morning news show
Seeing it in action: Lesson Plan • Lesson materials • Demonstration of lesson • Performance of rap
Questions and Answers ? • Visit www.gearup.lsu.edu for more information • Letrez A. Myer, M.A.Program CoordinatorLetrezM@lsu.edu • James MilliganEvent Coordinator/MentorJMilli2@lsu.edu • Tamatha Brown GEAR UP Advisor tamathab@lsu.edu • Office Phone: 225.578.1751